Original Xbox One policies were ‘pioneering’, could return in the future

Microsoft caught a lot of flak for their strategy when the Xbox One was announced.  A form of DRM for the console wasn’t exactly the best selling point, or way to put their best foot forward.  But perhaps it was how Microsoft shaped their message during the initial reveal of the Xbox One that was the real problem.  According to Microsoft’s Albert Penello, the company’s policies were “pioneering” in the digital space, and they are actively looking for ways to get them to return.

“We’ll bring it back when the time is right”

In a interview with the Gamespot, Penello reveals the company’s interest in bringing back things like Family Sharing to the Xbox One.

“I think if you go back and you look at some of the things we said, that was one of the places that we were actually trying to pioneer. We were trying to implement the ability to trade [and] loan digital games with your friends which is something that no one else was doing. I believe, in retrospect that people have calmed down and gone back and actually looked at what we said, people are starting to understand, ‘Wow, they did want actually to allow me to loan and trade’ which other digital ecosystems don’t want to do. And so, yeah, I think we need to do that. That has to be part of the experience. Right now, we’re focused on launch and we switched the program back to discs, because that’s what customers wanted.”

“We’ll bring it back when the time is right,” concluded Penello.

So how will that work on the Xbox One?  The Microsoft Rep didn’t lay out any real plans to bring back the program, just that he gets a lot of emails from fans that would like to see its return.  Since this is likely tied to a digital future for the Xbox One, it’ll likely be re-implemented when the concept of digital only is more acceptable for the wide audience of Xbox One patrons.